What is BRT?

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What is BRT? 1030 1200 noon Dennis
Hinebaugh Chair, TRB Bus Transit Systems
Committee BRT Subcommittee Director, National Bus
Rapid Transit Institute (NBRTI) (Moderator)
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Session Presentations

• What is BRT?, Barbara Sisson
• BRT What is it? How is it working? How can we
  make it better?, Sam Zimmerman

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• Samuel Zimmerman
• Principal, Transportation Planning for
  DMJMHARRIS
• 28 years with the USDOT including 5 with the
  FHWA, and 23 with FTA
• As Director of Planning at FTA played a key role
  in developing and implementing procedures for
  major transit investment planning
• Co-principal Investigator for the TCRP Bus
  Implementation Guidelines project
• Currently providing his expertise for a rapid
  transit project in the York region of Ontario

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What is BRT? TRB-APTA BRT Conference Denver,
Colorado May 2004
Sam Zimmerman Principal, Transportation Planning
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• What is it?
• How is working?
• How can we make it better?

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BRT Bus Rapid Transit

• Flexible, permanently integrated high performance
  system with a quality image and a strong ID
• Package of components appropriate to current and
  future
• Markets served
• Physical environment

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BRT Bus Rapid Transit

• Key Attributes
• Speed
• Reliability
• Identity and image
• Contextual design

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BRT System Components
Vehicles
Running Ways
Stations Terminals
Systems
Service Plan
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Stops, Stations and Terminals

• .25 1 mile station spacing
• Permanent, substantial, weather protected
• Amenities, passenger information
• Good pedestrian, local bus, auto access
• Safe, secure
• Convey identity and image
• Design integrated with surroundings

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Side, Low Platform
Pittsburgh MLK Busway Ext.
Sydney , Australia Northwest Suburbs Busway
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Center, High Platform
Bogota Transmilenio
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Running Ways

• BRT can operate in broad variety of physical and
  operating environments
• Critical planning and design parameters
• Ability to safely support rapid, reliable
  services
• Safe rapid transit vehicle access
• Identity, aesthetics

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Interior, Arterial Curb Bus Lanes
London Priority Bus Corridor
Boston Silver Line
14
Bus/Transitway on Freeway ROW
Median Houston Transitway
Shoulder Brisbane SE Busway
15
Busway on Railroad ROW
Pittsburgh East (MLK) Busway
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Elevated Sections
Runcorn, UK
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Tunnels
Seattle CBD Bus Tunnel
Brisbane SE Busway
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Running Way Guidance Mechanical
Curbs Leeds, UK
Track Nancy, France
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Running Way Guidance Optical
Civis Rouen
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Vehicles

• Rubber-tired, steered and/or guided
• Variety of sizes through 80 feet
• Conventional buses or special BRT vehicles
• Environmentally friendly
• Low emissions
• Quiet

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Conventional Buses
Zuidtangent Haarlem - Schipol, Neth. Van Hool
300AG
60 foot Neoplan CNG Boston Silver Line
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Specialized BRT Vehicles
New Flyer Invero DieselElectric Hybrid
Bombardier GLT Dual-Mode, Driver Steered/ Track
Guided

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Specialized BRT Vehicles High
Capacity (110), 83 Ft. Long
Van Hool AGG300

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BRT VehiclesWell- Lit, Open, Quiet Interior
Van Hool 300AG
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Fare Collection

• Needs to facilitate multiple stream boarding
• Off-board (preferred)
• On-board multi-point payment
• Significant pass utilization
• Integrated with but may not be the same as for
  local bus system

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OffBoard Fare Collection
Access Control Magnetic Card Bogota
Transmilenio
Proof-of Payment TVM Paris Val de Marne
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ITS

• Automatic vehicle location
• Passenger information
• Safety, security
• Signal priority
• Communications
• Fare collection
• Vehicle guidance and control

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Central Control RoomVehicle Location, Service
Supervision
Brisbane SE Busway
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Station Security
Brisbane SE Busway
30
Passenger Information
On Board Paris Val de Marne Busway
At Stations LA Metro Rapid Bus
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Service Plan

• All-day, Frequent Service
• 8-10 Minutes Or Better In Peaks
• No Schedule Needed
• Simple Route Structure
• Direct, Easy To Understand
• Use BRT Flexibility
• Maximize Directness, Minimize Transfers

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BRT Service Plan Alternatives

• Base All-day, local all-stop trunk line
• Overlay Peak only or all-day express services
  

Station
Station
Station
Station
Station
Station
Station
Station
Station
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BRT Service Plan Alternative
Integrated Neighborhood Circulation, Line-Haul

• Base all-day, local all-stop trunk line
• Peak-only or all-day integrated services

Integrated Neighborhood Circulation, Line-Haul
All Stops, Local Trunk Line
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Conveying System Identity Image

• Vehicles
• Design, colors, graphics, signage
• Stops, Stations, Terminals
• Design, colors, graphics, signage, materials
• Running Ways
• Barriers, pavement markings/materials/ colors,
  graphics, signage, landscaping

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Consistent, Unique Station Design
Corporate Identity
York Rapid Transit, Ontario
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Consistent, Unique Graphics
Corporate Identity
Brisbane S.E. Busway
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Running Way Materials, Color, Markings
Corporate Identity
Paris
Denver
Auckland
Sao Paulo
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Unique Vehicle Livery
Corporate Identity
Vancouver TransLink Regular Bus
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How is BRT Working?
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RT Operating Speeds
60

• Operating Speeds by ROW Type
• MPH

Surface/Freeway Busways Express Routes
50
Surface/Freeway Busways Local Routes
40
40-50 mph
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Arterial Curb Bus Lanes Limited Stops
25-30 mph
20
Arterial Median Busways (S. America)
14-19 mph
10
11-14 mph
0
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Significant Time Savings

• Compared to Local Bus

Busways and Freeway Bus Lanes 32 47
Bus Tunnel (Seattle) 33
Arterial Street Busways / Bus Lanes 29 32
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Modest Operating Maintenance Costs (Port
Authority of Alleghany County, Pittsburgh)
PAT West Busway PAT LRT
/Rev.Veh.Mi. 6.40 15.25
/Rev.Veh.Hr. 81.90 222.37
/Pass.-Mi. 0.65 0.84
/Brdng 2.73 3.78
FTA Evaluation of Port Authority of Alleghany
County West Busway Bus Rapid Transit Project,
4-2003
 
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Attractive to Customers
Ridership Gain In Corridor of Ridership New Transit Trips
Los Angeles 40 (3 Yrs.) gt30
Miami 70 (5 Yrs.) gt50
Brisbane 50 (2 Yrs.) 30
Vancvr., BC 30 (2 Yrs.) gt25
Boston 100 (18 months gt30
Oakland 60 (10 months) NA
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Attractive to Customers with a Choice
Houston Metro Services, Customers Riders with Household Incomes gt 50,000/Yr Riders with Household Incomes gt 75,000/Yr Riders from Households with gt 2 Vehicles
Park/Ride Services (Rubber-tired Commuter Rail) 70 50 61
Local Bus 11 - 16
2002 On Board Survey
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High Capacities Achieved

• Maximum Volumes
• Peak Hour, Peak Direction

25,000 / hour Sao Paolo (Nova de Julio) Bogotá Transmilenio NYC Lincoln Tunnel XBL
15 20,000 / hour Porto Alegre Quito
10 15,000 / hour Curitiba Ottawa Brisbane
Highest LRT Volumes in NA lt 10,000/Hr.
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Attractive to Developers, Owners

• Significant Urban Development Effects
• Curitiba Surface Metro
• Ottawa Transitway System
• Pittsburgh East Busway
• Denver 16th Street Mall
• Brisbane SE Busway
• Boston Silver Line

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Boston MBTA Silver Line 700
M Worth of Projects Along Line Since
Construction Began
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Boston MBTA Silver Line, Washington St.
New Mixed Use Development Adjacent to Stations
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Denver 16th St. Mall
New Entertainment Venues
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Ottawa Transitways
St. Laurent Mall Highest Grossing per Sq. Ft.
In Ottawa, 30 Mode Share
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Brisbane Courier Mail, 7/2/02

• Brisbane Southern Suburbs, available   ...
  with owner, 5 minutes walk from Garden City,
  Busway etc. Looking for a mature reliable person
  with ... for 3 b/r townhouse Greenslopes. Walk to
  busway and Logan Road. 75 a week,
  airconditioning, LUG ...

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Brisbane Courier Mail, 1/26/02
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BRT Urban Design Integration
Brisbane SE Busway Station
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How Can We Make BRT Better? Critical Observations
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Plan for Enforcement
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Running Way Enforcement

• Need Strong Running Way Identity
• Provides visual cues for motorists and
  pedestrians
• Facilitates enforcement
• Makes a positive statement about transit

Wellington, New Zealand
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Be Careful Not to Have Too Many Stops
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BRT Stop Spacing

• Average Spacing (feet)

6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
7000
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Fare Collection Vehicles Important for Speed,
Reliability

• Need Easy, Multiple Door Boarding Alighting
• Analyze Options on Net Cost Basis
• Fare collection
• Door Number, Width, Location
• Vehicle Floor (and Station Platform) Height

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Lessons Learned

• Plan For BRT As For Any Rapid Transit Mode (i.
  e., Use Rail Criteria)
• Use transportation planning process to sort out
  alternatives
• Serve demonstrated markets
• Match service plans, running ways, vehicles,
  stations and markets
• Begin integration with land use planning early

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Lessons Learned Unique to BRT

• Recognize that there is no single BRT system
  prescription
• Work hard to inform public and decision-makers
  that BRT is A high quality, high performance RT
  option
• Focus on system integration and identity
• Be willing to spend money on BRT
• Maintain system integrity
• Resist de-construction

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END